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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923320">Inclement Weather</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Areneth/pseuds/carter-sg-1'>carter-sg-1 (Areneth)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Voyager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:27:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,942</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Areneth/pseuds/carter-sg-1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes all you need are your friends and family. A little moment, "frozen in time". - post Endgame </p><p> </p><p>A bit of 25 days of Voyager fluff.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chakotay &amp; B'Elanna Torres, Chakotay &amp; Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay/Kathryn Janeway, Chakotay/Seven of Nine (mentioned)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>25 Days of Voyager (2020 Version)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Inclement Weather</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a canon compliant story. There is no character bashing of any kind. I like to think they are all mature, loving adults. </p><p>(The mature bit is up for debate I know!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Snowflakes danced lazily through the night sky, paying no heed to the silent figure on the porch. The crisp winter air had just enough bite to it to prove that the surreal winter scape was real and not another elaborate Holodeck program. </p><p>He smiled and closed his eyes. </p><p>It had been quite a while since he had last had a chance to stop and breathe in the night air. No rush, no schedule, no … mission.</p><p>The door behind him opened, releasing a gust of warm air from the house. He didn't need to turn around to know who had come to seek him out. Still, the gentle nudge to his side made him look down at a concerned pool of dark brown. </p><p>*Like coffee.* he thought distractedly.</p><p>"Hey you. Brooding or just enjoying a breath of fresh air."</p><p>Chakotay grinned.</p><p>"Neither actually. I just wanted to make sure it was all … real."</p><p>B'Elanna shivered despite the thick winter coat she was almost drowning in. "You are weird you know that, right?" she said snuggling up to him.</p><p>His arm went around her, hugging her to his side. "Ah, but you still love me."</p><p>He expected the smack and caught her hand before it could make contact with his stomach, "You are getting soft Mom." <br/>
He brought the offending hand close to his chest.</p><p>B'Elanna snorted none to elegantly. "You are the one to talk. Miral has us all wrapped around her pinkie and she is not 3 months old."</p><p>"What can I say, thankfully she takes after you and not Tom.", he teased trying to pre-empt her serious discussion. </p><p>She saw right through him though, as always. </p><p>"What about the other ladies in your life? Is Seven OK?"</p><p>He sighed, "Yes, she is doing … better. The whole — it's time to expand your 'collective' — media jab really got to her. It took some time for her to realise it was not as daunting as it seemed at first. Her aunt has been wonderful about it. Talking to Tuvok, Kathryn and most surprisingly Tom, really helped."</p><p>B'Elanna dug her elbow into his side, "There is no need to act so surprised. You know him better than that by now!"</p><p>"I do, I'm sorry. It still caught me off guard when she told me about it."</p><p>She glared at him, annoyed. </p><p>"In a good way!" he added in a hurry. </p><p>"He is a great listener and she had told him that she had found his perspective refreshing… Despite what you may think Chakotay, you and Kathryn are sometimes just like two peas in a pod. And Seven relies on both of you when in need of advice. "</p><p>"Kathryn? … You've finally accepted that?", he interrupted, grinning happily.</p><p>"Of all the things I've just said — that — is the thing that sticks out?!"</p><p>"Sorry… It's just nice to know you two are getting closer.", seeing the eye-roll he focused on the topic at hand." Right, Tom's fresh perspective… Hey! What do you mean fresh? Are you calling us old? I'd like to remind you that your ball and chain is only three years younger than Kathryn!"</p><p>"Ha! A sore spot Old Man? Tom being 10 years your junior?", she teased. "... besides, that's not what I meant."</p><p>"Oh? Do dig yourself in deeper… Torres.", he quipped.</p><p>"What I mean..." she said glaring at him, "is that most of the time you and - our former captain - are on the same wavelength so your advice to Seven was possibly … very similar."</p><p>Chakotay's eyebrow stayed up, challenging her thesis.</p><p>"Oh fine - I give up, you are all too old." she sighed. </p><p>The grin was back.</p><p>"That was too easy, you are slipping B'E."</p><p>"There is no way talking to you when you get like this."</p><p>He hummed happily in agreement.</p><p>The muffled sound of laughter coming from the house made B'Elanna smile. She ran her gloved hand through the snow covering the porch light. </p><p>"Have you guys had a chance to pick a place to live?"</p><p>"Fishing? Or has Seven already told you?"</p><p>He could tell from her confused frown that B'Elanna was not in the know. He explained.</p><p>"We have decided to part ways and remain friends. Nothing more but nothing less. Seven will be staying with Irene in Malmo when on Earth for the foreseeable future."</p><p>"Oh Chakotay..." </p><p>"Don't … It's for the best. For both of us.", he said, no regret clouding his voice.</p><p>She hugged him hard.</p><p>"In hindsight it was too easy to let go… "</p><p>"Still… I am here for you… both of you, if you need to talk about… anything."</p><p>He didn't release her from the hug, instead he started rocking them gently in the night air. "I know."</p><p>The door opened once again. "Are you getting ready to run off with my wife?" Tom teased.</p><p>"Ha. You wish Paris!" B'Elanna threw back at him, detaching herself from her friend's side. <br/>
"What have you done with our daughter?"</p><p>Tom raised his hands in mock defence "There was nothing I could do! The crazy Janeway women kidnapped her!"</p><p>He got a slap on the back of his head for his comedic effort.</p><p>"Sorry Captain." he murmured, absentmindedly scratching the place of impact.</p><p>"That's Kathryn to you Tom and good luck prying your firstborn from my mother's hands!"</p><p>B'Elanna laughed heartily as she ambled towards Tom, ready to push him back into the house as Kathryn moved to join Chakotay on the porch.</p><p>The quick hand squeeze between the two women did not go unnoticed by the men and Tom winked conspiratorially at Chakotay before allowing himself to be dragged away.</p><p>"I really like her." Chakotay said fondly as the door closed behind the pair.</p><p>"B'Elanna? She's one of your best friends. I'd be really worried if you didn't!", Kathryn asked confused.</p><p>"Your Mom." he cleared up grinning.</p><p>Kathryn mock glared at him "Ha, you like her now. Just wait until she starts bossing everyone around in the kitchen after breakfast tomorrow. Dad might have been an Admiral but Mom is The General."</p><p>"The General? Seriously? And you dare call her that to her face?" Chakotay's asked incredulously. </p><p>"Yup." she said unconcerned whilst rubbing her hands together for warmth.</p><p>"I thought I'd heard Phoebe mention a General earlier but I had thought I'd misheard!" Chakotay said raising his arm in a silent offer of a hug.</p><p>The woman in question huffed, unimpressed by Chakotay's deflection tactic. </p><p>"I like you too by the way, in case there was any doubt." he added quietly.</p><p>Her elbow managed to hit the exact same spot as B'Elanna's had and he grimaced. </p><p>Kathryn noticed, worry immediately apparent in her eyes. </p><p>"Are you all right? I didn't jab you that hard.", she asked starting to pull his coat open to check on his side.</p><p>He grabbed her hands, stopping her. "I'm fine, might have annoyed one too many a lady tonight."</p><p>At her inquiring eyebrow he added "You all have very sharp elbows and very good aim." </p><p>Kathryn harrumphed, settling for hugging him with arms under his coat instead, snuggling into his side. It was a new development for her, one Chakotay quite approved of. Her much needed mandatory counselings sessions were slowly but surely allowing more of the woman back out into the light. Allowing herself to express her feelings more openly was just first of the many steps on the road to recovery.</p><p>"You really have cold hands...", he observed as two lumps of ice made contact with his sweater.</p><p>"Ha! Says the man who enjoys inclement weather." </p><p>Chakotay let the comment pass enjoying the near silent night air and her nose pressing into his throat for a few minutes before Kathryn asked quietly "Are you OK?"</p><p>"You know?"</p><p>"Yes. Chakotay… I am so, so"</p><p>"Don't," he interrupted, "don't be sorry. It was not meant to be."</p><p>"But still..."</p><p>"No … I don't regret it and neither does Seven. It was what it was." </p><p>She squeezed him tighter for a moment. "The Admiral said..."</p><p>"I know." he interrupted her again. " I've actually talked to her… you … about … everything."</p><p>"You did? And she told you … everything?"</p><p>"Everything. About the deaths, the pain … the distance that had grown between us … the torment, hers and… his. She, you came back to stop all of it. " </p><p>Her eyes met his. The cobalt blue glistening with tears "I never could keep a secret from you."</p><p>He kissed her forehead. "That's what the Admiral said too."</p><p>The sombre mood was not what he wanted the evening to be about, so he continued "You have kept a secret though, a big one at that."</p><p>The confusion immediately clouded the blue. "Wha...?"</p><p>"Why did you never tell me about the faulty EPS conduit causing the replicator malfunctions in your quarters."</p><p>Kathryn found herself grinning, despite the seriousness of the previous moment. "How long have you known?"</p><p>"Since the second month of so. My sonic shower is on the same conduit, and it's never worked properly."</p><p>Her grin widened. "Why didn't you ever say anything about it?! It took me almost a year to figure it out."</p><p>"I prefer water showers. Besides, I though you wanted to dispel the myth of superhuman Captain - make yourself more approachable, fallible in day to day stuff. I had figured it was that or … you needing a valid excuse for us to spend more time together, and a misbehaving replicator gave us a great out in the beginning. Either way I didn't mind."</p><p>"It worked didn't it?" she shrugged. "Look at all the bets in the betting pool."</p><p>"Which one in particular?" he quipped.</p><p>"The burnt offerings one!" she huffed slightly annoyed, the other bets were a topic for another conversation all together. </p><p>"Ha! You never fooled me. Remember, I actually lived with you for a couple of months. Unlike the rest of them, I know for a fact that you are a great cook... when you actually feel like cooking." </p><p>"Yes well … I do appreciate you playing along." </p><p>He observed absentmindedly that her ears and neck had instantly turned an interesting shade of pink that had nothing to do with the cold. Kathryn had yet to learn to accept a compliment. </p><p>"Though, I have to tell you, the constant 'Poor Commander, you'll need a trip to the sickbay.' quips every time someone knew I'd be eating with you were starting to grate."</p><p>She stuck out her tongue at him just as her mother opened the door.</p><p>"Kathryn Janeway! The cheek of you!"</p><p>"Moooom! I see you've been relieved of Miral."</p><p>"Phoebe has her for the moment - now, you two get your buts into this house before you both freeze to death!"</p><p>Chakotay laughed as Kathryn extracted her arms from his coat and pulled on his hand to get him to move.</p><p>"Told you, bossy." she grumbled.</p><p>"Young lady I heard that!" flowed out of the house. Chakotay continued laughing allowing Kathryn to drag him along.</p><p>Just as they were about to enter the house Kathryn stopped them, serious again, resting her hands on his chest.</p><p>"Chakotay … if you ever need to talk, any time night or day … about anything... please just comm me. Some things don't need to change just because we'll no longer live next door to one another."</p><p>Chakotay smiled cupping her frozen cheek in his warm hand "I know and thank you. I will. Just remember - the same goes for you. Day, night …"</p><p>They stared at each other for a moment until Gretchen's voice ripped through the night air breaking the spell.</p><p>"Get those doors closed before all the Elves get in!"</p><p>So they did, leaving the snowflakes to their dance once again.</p><p>++++++</p>
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